A conceptual rendering of Kaukauna Middle School, slated to open for the 2028-29 school year. (Photo courtesy: Kaukauna Area School District)
KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Kaukauna Area School District broke ground Monday on its new $169 million middle school.
Kaukauna Middle School will be located next to the existing Kaukauna High School. It will replace River View Middle School when it opens for the 2028-29 school year.
Two future Kaukauna Middle School students in attendance at Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony shared what they’re most excited for when the new building opens.
“All the bigger spaces and the new opportunities,” said Jordyn Neerhof.
Added Marley Vande Voort, “Just new learning and all the stuff in the new middle school.”
The new middle school will be able to serve up to 1,200 students, which is about how many River View currently serves. River View is the only middle school in the district.
The construction plan calls for classrooms, science and technology labs, culinary spaces, a commons/cafeteria, a three-court gymnasium and a fitness area. Elsewhere on the property, the district will build an outdoor physical education field, along with football and track facilities.
The new middle school will cost property taxpayers about $73 per $100,000 of property value per year. Voters approved a referendum to build the school in November 2024.
“One of the things that increased that cost was the building. Its infrastructure around the school was necessary,” said Superintendent Mike Slowinski. “This is an undeveloped part of town, but that’s also where the opportunity is.”
The new school’s site is located just southwest of the existing high school. The two schools will be connected by by a walking and driving bridge.
“It provides a lot of efficiencies for the district, but also gives kids more opportunities to be able to get into facilities in both the middle or the high school,” said Slowinski.
The middle school will have entrances off both Loderbauer Drive and Highway 55, with Highway 55 including a roundabout at Morningside Drive. It’ll also have a pedestrian tunnel at that intersection.
River View Middle School is over 100 years old, and eventually, it won’t be feasible to teach students there, according to Slowinski.
“We’ve got major accessibility issues,” said Slowinski. “The long-term future of that building was not usable for students for the type of education that our community expects.”
The city entered into a property and feasibility study to determine what could be developed there. It could include housing, retail, commercial or even another use, according to Kaukauna Mayor Tony Penterman.
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